Signaling downstream

Immunreceptor based activation motif. The classical ITAM motif comprises the consensus sequence Yxxl/ Lx(6-12)YxxI/L (where Y stands for tyrosine, I stands for isoleucine, L stands for leucine, and x can be any amino acid). Kinases containing tandem SH2 domains, as for example ZAJP-70 or SYK, recognize the phosphorylated ITAMs, thereby initiating downstream signaling events. 

Currently no drugs directly modulating the LDL receptor family are known. The possible use of drugs targeting the LDL receptor family or downstream signaling proteins may be derived from Table 1. 

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) form a class of cell surface receptors that are activated upon binding of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Structurally and functionally, mAChRs are prototypical members of the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Following acetylcholine binding, the activated mAChRs interact with distinct classes of heterotrimeric G proteins resulting in the activation or inhibition of distinct downstream signaling cascades. 

The RTK activity phosphorylates tyrosine residues within the intracellular domain of the receptor. These phosphorylated residues function as docking sites for proteins that will convey the signal to downstream signal transduction components. PKI can be developed that bind these phosphorylated docking sites in order to abrogate inappropriate downstream signalling. 

It should be noted that fast inactivation of receptor signaling not only involves the desensitization of the receptor but also the components of the downstream signaling cascade. The deactivation of active Ga subunits is controlled by the intramolecular hydrolysis of bound GTP, allowing it to reform the inactive heterotrimer. Termination of G protein-mediated signaling in vivo is 10- to 100-fold faster than the in vitro rate of GTP hydrolysis by Ga subunits, suggesting... 

In chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) as well as in a subset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Bcr-Abl, a fusion protein of c-Abl and the breakpoint cluster region (bcr), is expressed in the cytosol of leukemic cells. This fusion protein forms homo-oligomeric complexes that display elevated kinase activity and is the causative molecular abnormality in CML and certain ALL. The transforming effect of Bcr-Abl is mediated by numerous downstream signaling pathways, including protein kinase C (PKC), Ras-Raf-ERK MAPK, JAK-STAT (see below), and PI3-kinase pathways. 

The major 3 -phosphoinositide products of class I PI3Ks are phosphati-dylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P3, which is formed primarily from phosphorylation of PI(4,5)P2) and its metabolite phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate, PI(3,4)P2]. The basal levels of PI(3,4)P2 and PI(3,4,5)P3 in cells are usually in low abundance but can rise sharply after cell stimulation to interact with an array of protein effectors via pleckstrin homology (PH) domains, modular segments of about 100 amino acids found in many signaling proteins. It is these PH-domain-containing proteins that are able to propagate and drive downstream signaling events. 

All RTKs contain between one and three tyrosines in the kinase activation loop, which is composed of subdomains VII and VIII of the protein kinase catalytic core. Phosphorylation of these tyrosines has been shown to be critical for stimulation of catalytic activity and biological function for a number of RTKs, including insulin receptor, FGF receptor, VEGF receptor, PDGF receptor, Met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), and TrkA (NGF receptor). A major exception is the EGF receptor, for which autophosphorylation of a conserved tyrosine in the activation loop does not seem to be involved in signaling. Substitution of tyrosine with phenylalanine has no effect on RTK activity or downstream signals. 

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